Title: At the End of the Road

Author: chescaOtaku

Pairing: HanaRu/RuHana; a touch of MitKo/KoMit

Genre: Shounen-ai

Status: Ongoing; 5/9 (series)

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimers:: All Slam Dunk characters mentioned below are properties of Takehiko Inoue, TOEI and his other colleagues. Only the storyline is mine. So…don't sue me. ^_^ I'm too young to go to jail. ::

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At the End of the Road

Chapter 4



~*~

Rukawa Kaede was strolling across the vacant side streets, feigningly in unfathomable thoughts. His conversation with Kogure early this night was deeply etched in his mind. The words that the senior had told him were strikingly moving, almost mesmerizing, yet with a trace of anguish that made his grieving heart want to cry. The words struck him like lightning and made him deliberate more on their current situation. When he heard how Kogure relayed to him his relationship with Mitsui and how well the both seniors were dealing with it, a twinge of jealousy crept up his whole body. He suddenly longed for his Hana-kun's tender touch, fierce hugs and zealous kisses.

'If you are meant for each other, love would always find a way back…'

That phrase the vice captain told him hit him most. Yes, the Super Rookie believed they /are/ meant for each other, that there is no one else who can take the place of his beloved. Yes, he was sure. Extremely sure. Otherwise, fate wouldn't bring them together at the rooftop during the first day of classes, right? Maybe destiny was just doing or performing a challenge to the strength of their mind and the courage of their heart, just as the senior mentioned a while ago, to see if their minds and hearts could withstand an unexplainable pain. Maybe during their past lifetimes, they were also forced to be separated but love brought them back into each others' arms in certain unexpected circumstances.

Perhaps, and hopefully, love, in this present lifetime, would do so. Just like, as the raven-haired boy believed, thousands of lifetimes before.



~*~

He treaded the empty streets some more and then looked at his watch. /It was getting late/, he thought. He first decided to go home, but then he changed his mind. Entering a house full of torment, sorrow and not to mention a philandering "father" was the last thing in his boggled mind right now. /Maybe that man was seducing yet another country club bitch in his room. He wouldn't care if I were home or not. God knows if he even desperately wished for my death./ Rukawa bitterly thought.

Rukawa Kaede was a bastard son of Kotehota Ruji. When his mother married his stepfather, she was already two months pregnant with him—from another man. So when his mother revealed it to his stepfather, the man was angered and demanded that the baby be aborted. Yet, his mother disagreed. She let the baby, Kaede, live and gave birth to him, an agonizing ordeal that caused her life. Due to this, his stepfather practically blamed him for the death of his wife and cursed him. Ruji didn't even allow the fox-eyed boy to have his last name, thus registering Rukawa as his surname, the maiden name of his mother. The man's hatred for his son was very evident. Never in his life did he took care of the boy, never did accompany him in school gatherings and social occasions. His stepfather even brought home several women on the house and did explicit scenes in front of him. Ruji nonetheless didn't give a damn about Rukawa Kaede, and didn't care if the boy would die or not.

During his childhood days, boys and girls his age always teased him about his broken family, about his being a bastard. They insulted him of being /unloved/. Hence, he became a loner, aloof, and separated himself from the rest—for he feared of being insulted and rejected again. Rukawa then built a barrier outside and held his heart captive. He created a mask so that no one would notice the adversity he carried. Being rejected by a family member was agonizing, but being rejected and insulted by the society, would be more than of what he could endure.

Rukawa was like a living dead in their house. The man once tried to get rid of the fox-eyed boy by beating him until his body bled and his minor injuries became severe. Ruji thought that his stepson would be afraid of him and that the boy would eventually ran away. But Rukawa didn't give in. He fought and showed him how he could live alone and reach the top without his help and guidance. Then one day, he saw an orange, round thing called basketball in a park and a sudden motivation, aspiration and heat boiled up inside him. Rukawa started practicing with the ball and soon found himself deeply attached to the sport.

It became his passion.

Moreover, he would become the best. And when that time comes, he would go home and slam his achievement right into his stepfather's face.



~*~

He erased those harsh memories from his thoughts and decided to observe the surroundings around him. It truly was getting late; the sounds of the crickets nearby, the alluring silver moon and the seemingly endless sparkle of stars that scattered in the black sky proved it. The wind was getting colder and colder every minute and the faint voices of people and their shadows are fading until there was nothing left but consummate darkness.

Rukawa always loved the darkness that engulfed the night. Most of the times, when he was just alone in their house, he would go outside and scrutinize the scenery around him. He marveled at how harmonized the plants and trees dance whenever a cold breeze nuzzled with them. He would watch intently the fascinating movements of crickets roaming around. For him, the environment was such a mysterious and enthralling piece of art. It was and is where he would always reflect on what happened during the day and the previous ones. It was and would always be the place where he could put his mask off and unravel his real self. It was the only thing that could make his feelings flow and rise.

It was his only friend.

Before a certain Sakuragi Hanamichi entered his life and turned it upside down.

But now…now that they were through, the environment was once again the only friend he was left with. Just like the old times.

/Hana-kun, wonder what you're doing now? I miss the times when I used to roam around like this with you…/ Rukawa silently wondered.

"Oi, Rukawa!!! What are you doing here?!"

The freshman's thoughts were suddenly disrupted when he heard a familiar voice called his name. He quickly then 'put back' his mask and turned around to face the owner of the voice.

"Miyagi-sempai."

"Where are you headed to?"

Rukawa shrugged.

The Shohoku point guard knotted his brows in confusion. /This guy's really a weirdo./ He thought. Miyagi was always intrigued with the cold guy beside him. Rukawa was full of life during and every basketball game, but outside the court, he was like a walking dead.

"So…what are you doing in this kind of time?" Miyagi asked, with a hope of starting a little /talk/ with the Ice King.

Rukawa again shrugged.

Miyagi sweatdropped.

"How bout you?"

"Hm??" Miyagi looked at him, startled. /So, this guy can talk back after all./

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, that. I'm on my way to Aya-chan's house. You see, his /parents/ kind of invited me to dinner tonight!!!" Miyagi replied enthusiastically. Then he blushed and the face of Ayako was the only thing that filled his mind.

/This guy's hopelessly in love. H…Hana-kun…./ Rukawa lowered his head, remembering the times when Sakuragi would blush about something and he would give a tiny smile in reply.

"Rukawa? Doshitano?"

"??"

"You seem to be thinking…deep." Miyagi observed.

"Ah. Nandemonai." Rukawa answered in his monosyllabic manner.

"Sou ka."

The two basketball players walked in silence for a while, both concentrated in their own thoughts. After a while, Miyagi saw a corner that introduced another street and told the raven-haired boy, "Hmmm…gotta turn left on that corner. So, see ya tomorrow at school, ne?"

"Aa."

"Ja mata ne!!" Miyagi waved.

Suddenly, Rukawa called back. "Sempai."

"Hm?"

"Gambatte."

Miyagi smiled.



~*~

"Oi!! Gi'me 'nother can of that beer…"

"Nani yo?! You had five fuckin' of those already?! You insane or what?!"

"Yeah, take a break, Azuro!!"

"Juz gi'me the fuckin' beer!!"

"Yare, yare…" A middle-aged man handled a can of beer to his companion.

"Cheers!!!"

"Yeah!!!"

They were all dressed in black and were having a 'time of their lives' together in the streets, drinking. They always liked to spare some quality time with each other in times like this, when there would be no one to reprimand them and shoo them away. It was also a perfect time to hunt for 'preys' that could very well satisfy their night. They were called the Snipers, one of the most feared notorious gangsters in Kanagawa. A group that challenged the Sakuragi Guntai not so long ago.

While drinking, one of the members saw a tall, handsome figure headed in their way.

"Hey, Azuro, don't you recognize that boy comin' up here?" The guy with the name of Yamato Kagaryio asked.

"Yeah…he's fuckin' familiar, Azuro…"

"Hmmm…that looks like Shohoku's Rukawa Kaede!!!"

"Say, isn't he a 'beautiful prey'??" Another member added, and made a low, evil laugh.

"Hmmm…gotta catch that pretty boy. He's one hell of a prey tonight."

The Snipers' eyes gleamed wickedly.



~*~

Rukawa was once again on his own, and the mask he pulled on a while ago was again off and he continued to reflect and fathom about things. He was walking a little bit briskly, not oblivious to the growing darkness spreading every minute. He finally decided to go home and was about to turn right, when he heard yet another voice calling him. But this time, that voice was utterly different from a teenager's. The voice had a menacing tone and a slight shiver went through his body.

It seemed like fate has other plans tonight.

"Hey you!! I said 'Rukawa Kaede'…." Azuro said, somewhat pissed off. The other members laughed.

Rukawa glanced to where the muffled and laughing voices were and continued his way to his house, pretending not to notice the gangsters he just encountered. /Hn. Another pack of lazy beasts tonight. Will they ever leave people in peace?/ He thought.

The fox-eyed boy was about to go when strong, calloused hands grabbed his arm fiercely.

"Don't you have damn ears, pretty boy?! We were calling you!!" One of the snipers shouted.

"Get off me."

"Hah!!! As if I will. Come, join us, Rukawa Kaede." Azuro said menacingly.

"Iie." Rukawa replied.

"You're refusing, huh? Come pretty boy, we'll give you the most memorable moment of you fucking life."

"Get lost. And get off me." Rukawa repeated dangerously.

"Boys, he wouldn't fuckin' listen. Go get this lousy fox!!"

Yamato went where Rukawa was held ferociously by Azuro first. He slammed his fists straight to Rukawa's stomach, taking the air out of the raven- haired boy. Then he punched his jaws, as if breaking it at the mere impact. A trail of blood came out of Rukawa's mouth and he hissed in pain.

"Want more of that, pretty boy?"

Rukawa painfully shook his head. /Those bastards are gonna pay for this./

"Good." Azuro released him for a while and he nearly dropped on the streets, due to the impact of the punches given to him. He clutched his stomach for a while a wiped of the trail of blood continuously coming out. While following the leader of the group, he regained a little strength and kicked Azuro's ass hard.

"Ite! Nani?! You're madding me, boy. It seems like you want to have the taste of Snipers' punches, huh? Well, the fuck you have it!! Boys, pin him!!"

"Hai!!"

The next moments were a blur for him. Two scar-faced men, and six tattooed men gathered around him and Azuro again held both of his arms tightly and put his hands on his back and tied them with a rope. They had murderous looks on their faces. He struggled to be free and his wrists were beginning to bleed. One man punched him again on the stomach dizzying him once more. The others swayed their fists on every direction on his body and this caused him to wince more in almost unbearable pain. He then received a few more thugs and hits before he thought he finally had enough. He tried to meet them heads on by kicking them in every way, but one of the gangsters was able to catch his left leg and landed his elbows to the fox-eyed boy's caught leg. He tried to suppress a scream but didn't succeed.

"Now, will you still try to mess with us?"

He couldn't answer as another fist lounged on his right cheek. Bruises on his temples and cheeks were beginning to appear and his face started to bleed profusely. His body was cut everywhere and blood stained his shirt. Darkness was starting to envelop him, but he didn't miss out the sharp shimmering and silver dagger that was taken out by a tattooed man. Then, in a snap of a finger, the silver dagger was plunged directly into his bruised stomach and blood came out copiously. It ripped his flesh like hell and every inch of strength left in his body was sucked out. Rukawa didn't even have the energy to scream as it died gradually. Pain penetrated to every part of his being and his vision was filled with black dots and it became indistinct.

Then there was nothing.



~*tbc*~





~*~

a/n::: whew!!! I thought I was never going to finish this chapter. I was working with this for already three days for writer's block once again came in the way and I did other stuffs. Forgive me if the last part totally sucked. I really am not used to write action-packed stories…so that part might not be that good. Anyways, Kotehota Ruji, Azuro, Yamato Kagaryio, the Snipers and Takehara Koji (the character I mentioned in chap.1) were all created by me. If you want to use them (though I can't think of a reason why), just inform me. ^_^ and, please review!! They are much much appreciated. Flames, however…will be ridiculed at. For further comments, feel free to mail me at chesca14316@yahoo.com. Ok, that's it for now. Ja!!! ^_^